Fruit harvester



3, 1955 F. D. LASSWELL, JR 3,197,952

FRUIT HARVESTER Original Filed June 15. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig- 4Fried 1]. La 5 swelLJn INVENTOR.

5;; Ma @AW 1965 F. D. LASSWELL, JR 3,197,952

FRUIT HARVESTER Original Filed June 15, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.F1" Ed 1]. L55 SUJE11,JK

BY 9 a. 0 li W Anya.

1965 F. D. LASSWELL, JR 3,197,952

FRUIT HARVESTER Original Filed June 15. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 UnitedStates Patent 3,197,952 FRUIT HARVESTER Fred B. Lasswell, Jr., 329Bayshore Blvd, Tampa, Fia. Original application .Iune 15, E50, Ser. No.36,448 new Patent No. 3,129,551, dated Apr. 21, 1964. Divided and thisappiication Sept. 18, I963, Ser. No. 309,722

2 Claims. ((156-623) This invention relates to .a new and improved fruitharvester and is a division of my copending application for patententitled Hard Fruit Picker, Serial No. 36,448 and now Patent 3,129,551.

In my prior Patent 3,040,507 there is .shown the general principle ofinserting a plurality of spaced-apart rotating spindles into theperiphery of a tree bearing hard fruit to permit paddle members thereonto engage the fruit and cause its removal from the tree. The presentinvention is concerned with the composite fruit harvester andparticularly the maneuverability of a fruit picking panel relative to agenerally mobile support for harvesting fruit from all around a tree.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a fruit harvester on.a mobile support with a fruit picking panel movable'relative to thesupport for engaging and picking fruit from an entire tree.

An important object of this invention is to provide a maneuverable fruitpicking panel having fruit engaging rotating spindles thereon.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of aharvester for the fruit of trees having a bank of harvesting spindles inwhich certain of the spindles have one fin and others of the spindleshave two fins, the fins cooperating with fins on adjacent spindles toengage the fruit and spin it loose from the tree.

Another important object of this invention is to permit easy penetrationof a bank of fruit harvesting spindles into and through the outer areaof a hard fruit tree for movement into the interior thereof forharvesting fruit.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide a bankof fruit picking spindles arranged and constructed for ease ofpenetration into a fruit bearing tree.

Another and further important object of this invention is to supply aplurality of parallel disposed fruit picking spindles in which thespindles have fruit engaging fins in strategic positions thereon andarranged in such a pattern that upon rotating .all of the fruit pickingspindles in the same direction at the same speed, fruit picking pocketswill be formed between three adjacent spindles and the majority of thesefruit picking pockets will be free of picking fins, another substantialnumber of the pockets will have only one picking fin obstructing passagethere into and only a small minority of the pockets will have three finspenetrating the pockets from the three adjacent spindles for spinningthe fruit, which may be in the pockets, loose from the tree.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide a fruitpicking mechanism including a portable supporting structure, a bank ofspindles in parallel. disposition carried on said supporting structure,mechanism associated with the supporting structure for movingthe bank ofspindles into the outer area of a fruit bearing tree, fruit engagingfins on the spindles arranged and constructed to spin the fruit free ofits attachment to the tree branches, and means for tumbling theseparated fruit downwardly for deposit into a receiving container orreceptacle. 3

Another and still further important object of this invention is theprovision in a fruit harvester of a bank of fruit engaging rotatingspindles in which the bank of spindles is arranged .with alternatehorizontal rows of spindles offset from the spindles in the rowimmediately 3,197,952 Patented Aug. 3, 1965 adjacent thereto wherebywhen fruit is separated from the tree and falls downwardly it tumblesdown in a cascading fashion and is retarded in this downward fall byreason of the oitset spindles.

The various inventive concepts here presented may have a wide field ofutility in construction, operation :and/ or arrangement of rotaryspindles operable in the manipulation of articles and materials ofnumerous types. However, the invention is more particularly concernedwith .a spindle, spindle arrangements and spindle drive for the spindlesof a harvester of the general type disclosed in my prior Patent No.3,040,507, filed July 8, 1958 and entitled Harvesters.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a novelpicking arrangement of harvesting spindles and to provide a method ofdrive for such arrangement.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent from the disclosures in the following specificationand the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a fragment of a harvesterhead with finned spindles arranged and oriented in accordance wit-h theteachings of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of a single fin spindle.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of'the fin depicted in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of a double fin spindle.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one form ofspindle drive means.

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view showing the hard fruit picker ofthis invention.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the single finpicker spindles and radial picking fins as shown in the fruit pick-er ofFIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 with the spindle rotatedsubstantially 90 degrees.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged front elevational view of the fruit pickingspindles of this invention similar to the arrangement of spindles inFIGURE 1 of the drawing, but including a cluster of fruit in the pickinghead and indicating diagrammatically how the fruit is spun free of thetree.

General statement 0 the invention tative bank of 80 spindles there maybe 28 single fin spindles and 52 double spindles with a total of 132fins as distinct from the 240 fins of an spindle bank of the triple fintype presented in my previous application. This arrangement of spindlesprovides for 126 triangular spaces, six radiating outwardly from each ofthe Each such radiating apex defines a receptacle for the reception offruit. In this system all the spindles are rotated in one direction at auniform speed and the fins are so timed that in each triangle at somepoint during spindle rotation three fins will be pointed at a commonpoint forming What is referred to herein as a closed position. In such aclosed position the fins are in maximum engagement with the fruit torotate or spin the fruit on an axis normal to the axis of its calyx todisengage it from its stem.

The closing of the triangles with respect to any one single fin pickerspindle will move in succession to each adjacent triangle about suchsingle fin picker spindle so that the picking action is orbital withrespect to any cluster of triangles centered about a single fin pickerspindle. Since all of the single fin spindles are in the same timedrelationship the various closed pockets maintain constant spacialrelationship with respect to one another as they orbit through the sixtriangles about the single fin spindles. This arrangement also gives aspacial relationship of open pockets to permit easy entry of the fruitpicking spindle panel into a fruit bearing tree. The orientation of thespindles in connection with the fact that the fins of the double finpicker are spaced only 120 apart insures ample free vertical passagesfor stems and branches of the trees, thus facilitating the movement ofthe head into the body of the tree and materially reducing the forcerequired to thrust the spindles into the fruit bearing portions of thetree.

The present invention concerns the composite harvcster with its mobilesupport, a maneuverable fruit picking panel relative to the support andfruit picking rotating spindles carried in the panel for penetrationinto a fruit tree or other crop plant to be harvested.

As shown in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 represents a fragmentary portion of a harvester head or panelof the present invention through the flat base or support ll) of whichparallel spindles extend on axes generally normal to the plane of thebase It. It will, of course, be understood that the number of spindlesused is immaterial. The fragment here shown may be considered as acentral section of an 80 spindle head consisting of 8 horizontal rows of10 spindles each, there being a vertically staggered arrangement of suchrows. In the arrangement here shown each horizontal row of spindlesincludes two successive double paddle picker spindles, spaced by onesingle paddle picker spindle. The single wing picker spindles of theintermediate rows are located in vertical alignment between the doublewing picker spindles of the adjacent horizontal rows there above andbelow. For purposes of illustration with respect to the relativeorientation and method of operation of the spindles, a central singlewing picker spindle is illustrated in FTGURE 1 at 11 and designated bythe vertical hatching. Its surrounding series of six two-wing pickerspindles are designated by the numerals 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, anddistinguished by horizontal hatching. The spindles form triangularobject or crop receiving areas. When the single wing of spindle 11 is inan upwardly projecting position as shown in FIGURE 1 one Wing from eachof spindles 17 and 12 is also projecting into that triangular areadefined by the spindles 11, 1'7 and 12. As the spindles rotate one-sixthof a revolution the triangular area having three Wings or fins thereinwill be the one into which the single wing of the spindle 11 isprojecting. For example, the next triangular area to have three wingstherein after all of the spindles are 11, 13 and 14; ll, 14 and 15; 11,15 and 16; and 11, 16

and 17. In each instance, when the single wing is in any one triangulararea, one wing of each double picker spindle located at the outer apicesof such triangle will be in that triangle to effect a maximum closingthereof. This action is one in which the single Wing is successivelypresented to succeeding triangles in a circular series of triangleslocated around the spindle of the single wing. As above stated when thesingle wing or fin is located in a triangle, that is the time when thedouble wing spindles at the'outer apicesof such successive trianglesalso have i one of their wings or fins in the same triangle. The actionof effecting the maximum closing condition occurs serially in a circularpattern of triangles about each single wing picker spindle. The closedtriangles are always the ones in which the single wing is located duringits rotation.

It is to be noted that in a bank of spindles every double wing pickerspindle cooperatesin closing pockets with the three single wing pickerspindles spaced at around it.

As a specific illustration of the picking fins of the spindles,reference may be had to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. In FIGURE 2, the spindle 11has a single fin 20 with inclined serrations 21 formed on the leadingface thereof. The serrations act to increase gripping and lend anincreased yieldability to the wing to provide a soft contacting fin soas not to damage, injure or bruise the surface of fruit being picked.The inclination of the serrations may act to assist in urging the fruitrearwardly of the direction of movement of the spindle as it penetratesthe tree as well as insuring adequate grip and traction of the wing withrespect to the fruit. The picker fin Ell as shown in FIGURE 3 is alsoprovided with a tapered or conical head 22 at the penetrating endthereof so that fruit having passed such head will lodge therebehind topreclude its movement forwardly out of the spindle bank. The arcuate orrounded cutout or notch 20a at the forward end of the paddle-like fin 2tcooperates with the conical head 22 in forming almost a full receivingpocket for round fruit in which the fruit is lodged until the pocket isopened and further inward movement of the spindle into a tree causesengagement of the fruit by the fin preparatory to removal of the fruitfrom its tree stem. The rounded notch or taper Ztla permits easy entryof the picking spindles into a tree to be harvested of its fruit. Thenotch also prevents a forward kicking of the fruit by which it might belost. The spindle 12 of FIGURE 4 has two wings which are positioned at120 angular relationship and are designated by the numerals 23 and 24.

The spindles may be driven by a Wobble or oscillating plate 25, as shownin FIGURE 5, into which are set the ends 26 of cranks 27 fixed to theends of the spindles, therein indicated by the numeral 28. The spindlesbeing journaled for rotation within the relatively fixed base orstationary plate 10 are thus rotated by a circular movement of the plate25. The plate movement thus imparts a synchronous rotational movement ofthe spindles at uniform speed in the same direction.

As best shown in FIGURE 6, a mobile frame supporting structure 36 iscarried on steerable wheels 31 and 32. at one end thereof and tractionwheels 33 and 34 at the other end. The mobile frame 30 on which theharvesting unit is mounted is employed to move the harvesting unitrelative to a fruit bearing tree from which vantage point the harvestingunit may be inserted into the outer area of the tree and as will besubsequently described fruit Will be picked from the tree and caught bythe harvesting unit for eventual deposit into a receiving receptacle.Parallel standards 35 and 36 are affixed to the frame structure 30 andare joined at their tops with a cross member 37 to assist in maintainingparallelism. These vertical parallel standards 35 and 36 provide trackmeans for moving the picking head identified generally as 38 in orthrough a vertical movement. The head or bank of spindles 38 is alsomovable in a horizontal path in order to have the plurality of spindlesas shown in both of FIGURES l and 9 enter the surface of a fruit bearingtree to effect a picking of the fruit therefrom. The arrow 39 in FIG-URE 6 clearly indicates a treeward direction of movement of theharvesting spindle bank 38. It is preferable that the vertical andhorizontal movements of the spindle panel be occasioned by hydraulicmeans. For effecting vertical movement of the spindle'head there isprovided a cylinder 40 and an included piston dl'fastened at 42 to across bar 43 which is mounted for sliding movement on the verticalstandards and 36;. A horizontally disposed cylinder having a piston 47is mounted within a baillike frame member 48 on the backside of thefruit picker. Extension of the piston 4'7 from the cylinder 46 causesthe spindle bank 33 to be moved horizontally and into the treeidentified as 49. In order to elfect operation of the cylinder andpiston 49-41 and the cylinder and piston 4-6-47 fluid under pressure isdelivered thereto through various conduits 45. The rotation of thespindles in the head 38 is also accomplished hydraulically. A hydraulicpump 44- is driven by means (not shown) and delivers fluid underpressure through the conduit 51 to a hydraulic motor 54) which in turnsupplies rotative drive for the harvestin spindles. As previously statedit should be understood that the bank of spindles as shown in FIG- URE 6is only representative of a harvesting machine for fruit and there isand has been no attempt to show any specific number of rotating spindlesin the fruit harvesting head 38.

As shown in FIGURE 6 the head 38 includes a generally rectangular blockmember 52 with an auxiliary forward portion 53 having a downward andlaterally inclined forward edge 54. Rotating spindles 55 are arranged inhorizontal rows 56 and 57 as shown in FIG- URES l and 9 with thealternate rows 57 having their spindles staggered with respect to thespindles in the rows 56, immediately above and below. The outer ends ofthe spindles 55 are unsupported. The inner ends of the spindles arejournally supported within the block 52 and its inclined extension 53.As shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and S the spindles 55 are provided withradially disposed flexible paddle or fin members 58 which willsubsequently be described in detail. The outer unsupported ends of thesespindles 55 are provided with nose cones 59 which as shown in FIGURES 6,7 and 8 are equipped with a spiral groove 6% to aid in tree penetration.Thus when a bank of rotating spindles is pushed against the outersurface of a fruit bearing tree the lead of the screw and the directionof rotation of the spindle cooperate to screw their way into the tree sothat the fins or paddles 58 may remove the fruit designated by thenumeral 61 from the tree.

The spindles 55 are preferable made of a good quality of steel so thatthey have sufficient resiliency when entering into or being Withdrawnfrom a fruit bearing tree to avoid breaking or bending. The inner ends55a of the spindles 55 which are journally supported in the block member52 have a relatively large diameter while the outer unsupported ends 55bof the spindles have a smaller diameter. An annular shoulder 550 isformed on the spindles at the juncture of the inner and outer ends ofthe spindles. The fins and nose cones are preferably formed of rubber,synthetic rubber or plastic having a flexibility necessary to avoiddamaging the fruit or other crop as it is removed, yet having enoughfrictional resistance when engaging the fruit to impart rotation theretofor removal in a manner to be subsequently described. The fin has a hub580 which has a longitudinal socket 58d extending the length thereof andcontinuing into the nose cone 59 as shown at 5%. The forward end of thehub 58c fiares outwardly in the form of a cone as shown at 58e. The rearedge 5% of the nose cone 59 is substantially the same diameter as theforward end 582 of the hub so that there is presented a smoothuninterrupted surface for guiding the crop to be harvested into the areaof the fins 58. The small diameter outer ends 55b of the spindles areinserted into the aligned sockets 58d-59a of the fin structure and nosecone. It should be understood that the nose cone and fin structure,although shown as two pieces, may be made as a single piece. In thesingle wing spindles there is only a single fin radiating outwardly fromthe hub 580 while with the double wing spindles there are two finsradiating outwardly from the hub 58c at 120 apart. The long snugengagement of the rubber fin structure with the steel spindles tends toprevent relative rotation of the fins with the spindles. However, if itis desired means may be employed to pin or otherwise key the rubber finhub to the steel spindle. The hub 58c is arranged to abut the shoulder55c on the spindle.

The plurality of spindles 55 are flanked on both sides by a verticalwall of spaced-apart stationary rods 62. These rods 62 are supported attheir rearward ends on vertical angle members 63 and provide the meansfor retaining loose fruit within the picking head and its spindles sothat the fruit cannot move outwardly laterally of the picking head butrather must fall downwardly to a plurality of downwardly and rearwardlyinclinedlaterally spaced-apart rods 64. These rods 64 form a bed onwhich the hard fruit rolls downwardly and rearwardly for discharge intoa basket-like receptacle 65. The basket receptacle is provided with abank board 66 which acts as a splash wall and guide for the fruit thatis being deposited in the basket.

ltis preferable that the nose cones 59, mounted on the spindles 55outwardly of the fins 58, which act to screw the spindles 55 into afruit bearing tree, be relatively slick so that there will be nofrictional resistance to tree penetration. Whn the spindles are insertedinto a tree the hard fruit which may be disposed in any one of thetriangular pockets formed between three adjacent spindles willeventually be removed by a rotation of the spindles at a time when thepocket is filled with three fruit engaging fins or paddles 58. It isquite evident in FIGURE 9 how the fruit is removed from its branch orstem 67. The fruit 61 is gripped at three generally equally spaced-apartpositious by the fins 58 and as the work spindles 55 rotate, there isimparted a similar rotation to the hard fruit 61 causing it to be spunloose from the stem 67. It is this rotating motion rather than a pullingmotion which makes for proper fruit harvesting. In the case of a citrusfruit such as oranges or grapefruit it is desirable that the calyx whichconstitutes the means of attachment of the orange to its stem not itselfbe removed or if removed that it be snapped clean so that none of theorange skin is removed with it. When a portion of the orange skin hasbeen torn loose by a pulling out with the calyx the fruit is stated tobe plugged. Plugged fruit is not considered first quality and isgenerally used to make juice or juice concentrates rather than shippedas fresh fruit. A plugged fruit will spoil rather rapidly and does notstand shipment as fresh fruit. In the fins 58 shown in FIGURES 6, 7, 8and 9 there are no inclined serrations such as shown at 21 in FIGURES 2and 3 but rather the fins 58 are of relatively thin cross'section suchas shown at 68 in FIG- URE 9 permitting the fin 58 to flex and act as aspinner for the fruit 61 being removed from its stem 67. An arcuate ortapered notch 58a in the fins 58 is similar to the notch Zlla in thefins 20 and provides a receiving pocket for a piece of generally roundfruit prior to entry of that fruit into the fruit removing pockets. Therear of the fins 58 are also arcuately notched as at 58b and the purposeof the notching is for easy removal and then reentry of fruit into thefruit removing pockets. Thus when a spindle panel is inserted into afruit tree beyond the fruit cluster without removing the fruit, thefruit will easily reenter the pockets on withdrawal of the panel. Ofcourse this gives the picker a second chance to harvest the 'fruit. Asimilar notch 20!) is provided on the fins 20 for the same purpose.

In the operation of the device to pick generally round objects such ascitrus or other hard fruit, the spindle carrying head or panel is movedinto the fruit bearing area of. a tree. This means that the spindlespenetrate the periphery of the tree and encompass the fruit and branchesof the tree to a depth substantially coextensive with the amount ofspindle penetration. The fruit which quite often is in clusters isguided by the nose cones into the spaces between the spindles and intothe areas designated as triangles or fruit picking pockets by the dashedlines of the drawings. The time that each triangle is empty of wings orworking paddles totals one-half of any operating period. Thus for onefull'revolution of the spindles each pocket will be void of fins forone-half of the period required to rotate the spindles for thatrevolution. The

triangles are thus fully free to receive fruit during onehalf of theoperating time. Also the time that each triangle contains only one wingtotals one-third of the same operating period. Fruit may also enterduring such intervals. As previously stated the arcuate or tapered notchat the forward ends of the paddles or fins facilitates entry of thefruit into the pockets and tends to prevent forward kicking of thefruit. Also the arcuate or tapered notches at the rear of the paddlesperforms the same func- 'tion on withdrawal of the panel after thespindle fins have proceeded past the fruit. Both front and rear arcuatenotches minimize winding of small branches on the harvesting fins. Asthe wings from three spindles enter a common triangle they engage thefruit therebetween and by frictional contact therewith, rotate the fruiton an axis substantially at right angles to the axis through the calyx,to twist the fruit from the stem. It will also be noted that since thewings are at each position only once per revolution as illustrated inFIGURE 1, movement from such position will open long vertical andshorter horizontal and angular channels free of any wings so that thestems and branches of the tree may freely move into the head and shiftalong the above mentioned channels. By this arrangement it willtherefore be seen that the head may be readily inserted into branches ofa tree with a minimum of resistance to such entrance. This spindle andfin arrangement permits maximum freedom of spindle movement through thebranches while at the same time providing an adequate fruit pickingcapacity.

The bank of spindles shown in FIGURE 9 is of course the same as for thebank of spindles shown in FIGURE 1. However, in FIGURE 9 there has beenshown several pieces of fruit and stems to show the relationship offruit to spindle picker and also to indicate the large openings betweenmost of the spindles most of the time thus permitting easy penetrationof the fruit removing head into a fruit bearing tree. In the same manneras the fixed pockets have been shown in FIGURE 1 there is also shown inFIGURE 9 a group of pockets identified by the letters A, B, C, D, E, andF. In the pocket A there are no fruit removing fins. There is only onefin 58 in the pocket B at this precise moment in the rotation of thespindles o; which as previously stated all move simultaneously in thesame direction of rotation. Pockets C and E are identical to pocket Aand have no fruit removing fins therein. Pocket D is similar to pocket Band has only one fruit removing fin therein. Thus of these sixtriangular pockets, three pockets have no fins, two pockets have one finand one, namely F, has three fruit removing fins therein to engage anorange or other hard fruit such as shown in another portion of FIGURE 9.

The subject invention presents a new and improved spindle and finarrangement in a harvester head of the type disclosed in my priorapplication. While the spindle rotation is here shown to be in clockwisedirection, a reversal of spindle rotation will effect a similar fruitpicking action in a counterclockwise direction. When the spindles rotatein an'opposite direction to that shown it is obvious that the finserrations 21, when used, should be on the opposite fin faces. It will,of course, be understood that while the invention as here presented isan arrangement and method of operation for harvester spindles of thetype disclosed in my prior application, other uses are obvious andnumerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may beresorted to without departure from the spirit or scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A fruit tree harvester comprising a mobile supporting structure, afruit picker support mounted on said mo bile supporting structure, meansvertically moving said fruit picking support, a panel mounted on saidfruit picker support and arranged and constructed for horizontalmovement thereon, said panel having tree penetrating rotating spindlesthereon whereby the fruit tree harvester may have the tree penetratingrotating spindles maneuvered to any portion of the tree to be harvested.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which there is provided fruitreceiving means mounted on said fruit picker support below said paneland the tree penetrating rotating spindles.

T. GRAHAM CRAVER, Primary Examiner. RUSSELL R. KINSEY, Examiner.

1. A FRUIT TREE HARVESTER COMPRISING A MOVIBLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, AFRUIT PICKER SUPPORT MOUNTED ON SAID MOBILE SUPPORTING STURCTURE, MEANSVERTICALLY MOVING SAID FRUIT PICKING SUPPORT, A PANEL MOUNTED ON SAIDFRUIT PICKER SUPPORT AND ARRANGED AND CONSTRUCTED FOR HORIZONTALMOVEMENT THEREON, SAID PANEL HAVING THREE PENETRATING RO-